Fort Worth daily gazette. (Fort Worth, Tex.) 1882-1891, 1887-10-07

he not, at least, conform the leases to the
requirements of the law, limiting
them to small quantities for
less term than five Years?'
I learn, however, that the most Of the
leases are of large quantities for the full
term desired by the lessee. Some OF them
include lands on the lines of railways now
building through this section, which will
most naturally be the first required for
settlement"
SLIGHTLY EMPHATIC.
The Representative paused for mo-
ment and added in an emphatic tone:
"Under any plea which has been
or might be offered the notification
Of the most important features of i'm
portant legislation is without precedent,
without reason and wholly inexcusable.
Heretofore this section has labOred under
the disadvantages of laws Injurious to
settlement and development, and its
press and representatives have worked
together for many years to secure their
modification or repeal. Now after these
labors have been partially crowned with
success we are confronted with the new
and extraordinary problem OF an adverse
policy which, unmindful Of the law, would
perpetuate the worst features of the old
systems. Heretofore the executive
agents have been content to place their
actions upon the ground Of the letter Of
the law, and if they demanded the pound
of flesh, they declared it was so nomi-
mated in the bond. 1t has remained to
the present occupant Of the General Land
Office to boldly set at naught the legisla-
tive will and fer it substitute his own pol
icies because he has discovered since the
~ 10
complied with. 1 do no not believe any
of his predecessors will envy him of such
singular and sudscious proceeding"
BADLY MUTILATED LAW.
Commenting on ithe alleged wholesale
reputation OF the law, Mr.. Browning
said:
"The late land law contsined three
leading features; one provided that in
case OF a clash the settler should have
pre- ference over the lessee, the second
that the illegal enclosures which have so
| long been 8 state scandal should be de-
stroyed, and the third is that lands not IN
demsud for settlement should be leased.
The Commissioner has already repealed
the two first provisions, and under the
preteEse that compliance IS impossible
| has radically modified the third The
practical result is an unconstitutional
lease system, which not only bars
the way against future devel-
opment, but, wherever the land is wanted
by the pasture interests, denies the right
of present settlements result SO for
eign to the sentiment of the people of the
entire state that I confidently expect for
it the condemnation Of ali who symps-
thize with our efforts 10 develop this
country, without regard to faction, party
or locality"
| SOME STARTLING RESULTS.
Speaking of the present results Of the
Commissioners policy, Mr.. Browning
said:
"As an evidence of the recklessness OF
his policy, he accepted, unfortunately,
all applications TO lease from the time the
act took effect, and boosted in his first
letter of having leased 100000 acres in
the first thirty days. In the same letter
he admits that ne had advices from f.
Psso to Bowie and from the lower Rio
Grande to the Panhandle, that SETTLERS
in order to purchase homes. the
leases were accepted without regard to
the number CT acres, or length Of time,
within the laws maximum of five years
During this time few classifers were IL
the field, going through the slow process
surveying and classifying land. The
inevitable result of such policy Tss ap-
parent to me and it induced me to write
the letter to Governor Ross. To show
that IGy approximations as to the ultimate
result were not entirely groundless, look
at this notice which appears regularly il
one of our Panhandle papers"
Mr.. Browning handed the reporter c
paper and pointed TO an advertisement
which, without giving names, read as
follows:
"Notice to the Public-The under.
signed hold from the state of Texas &n
absolute lease on the state school lands
classified as grazing Iends,' within the
and - ranges. Said lease contracts
are of record according to law. AL
persons are hereby notified not to tres
pass in any manner whatever upon said
lands. Parties disregsrding our rights
will be vigorously prosecuted from this
en-"
ono argument is necessary" con-
tinued Mr.. Browning, "to show that
notices of this sort
WILL IMPEDE SETTLEMENT.
In another instance I am informed tina
party has leased large
. territory in which is 10.
, Gated colony of thirty o.
, forty settlers, most of whom own small
punches of stock. These settlers Were
nisled by the idea that classification
, would be made before leases were &C.
, cepted. The wealthy man, being on the
| alert, procured lease a2d now notifies
the settlers that they must get their stool
out Or pay him 81 80 per head year fo
J the privilege of grazing in his range. The
lessee psys the state $3.50 8 year pc,
3 section, snd q section will support sixty
{ four cattle; thus the lessee
makes 6 clear profit on his lease O
s 5000 8 section, or the settler must ge
q out. I do not condemn the capitalist 70
= taking every legitimate advantage OF an,
i law or public policy when it affects HI
0 interests. But il ought to be humiliatini
+ to every citizen OF Texas to know t2at tn